The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Winter Assembly has begun.
The assembly, which is being held at the Dakota Dunes Casino outside of Saskatoon, opened with a pipe ceremony followed by music from the Rock Hill Drum Group and an address from the Senate.
Senator Roland Crowe expressed frustration over the Harper government’s Education Act and the fact that some chiefs were excluded from an education meeting in Saskatoon last week.
“I have never seen, and many of us have never seen in our entire time, of leadership saying to Chiefs and Councils who can go into a meeting and who can’t. There is nobody in this country should be able to say to a chief ‘no you can’t be at that meeting.”
Chief Perry Bellegarde talked about the need to renegotiate the current gaming agreement and get a resource revenue sharing agreement with the provincial government.
He then touched on the future signing of a Tier 1/Tier 2 agreement process with the government.
Bellegarde also says his organization is exploring the possibility of removing Saskatchewan from its name.
“There is talk now and dialogue about possibly changing our name to the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, as a political statement to break down provincial boundaries. We’ve passed the motion from exec council to IGC to start looking at that. Because that in itself will make a strong statement to people when they look at this organization.”
One resolution put forward by the Prince Albert Grand Council will see the FSIN strike a special committee to develop strategic documents as a tool for treaty implementation.
Speaking in favour of the resolution, FSIN Chief Perry Bellegarde said the committee will not undermine individual bands trying to pursue their own treaty claims but would make the overall case for treaty implementation for all First Nations stronger.
“Because it’s all about implementation. Implementation is the operative word. It’s not to take away from what Treaty 4 work has got to be done because it’s treaty by treaty and I really respect that. It’s Treaty 4 that has to do that work and Treaty 6 has to do that work. We’re just trying to help facilitate and to assist.”
The resolution passed.
Bellegarde adds the organization should be getting revenue from video lottery terminals that are located within its casinos and would like to explore online gaming.
The FSIN winter assembly runs wraps up tomorrow.